Shipping crate



Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,267

H. c. GERAN SHIPPING CRATE Original Filed Dec. 19 2.5

than,

Patented Nov.29,1'927.

1,651,261 UNITED sarn'rss PATENT OFFICE i i i BERRY ofennnu, on Mnriiwnn, NEW Jnnsny. i I 1' I I 'snrr'rrns oRA'rE; Application filedneeenbernieaa,serial No. 2',5es.- Renewed December 16, 1926.

*Thisjinvention relates to shipping crates eral proportions and dimensions of the crate,

' ofthe ventilated o-r slottedtype and which and further the slats 6 and 7 may be are particularly adapted for fruits or vegeincreased in number relatively "to the gentablesthat are apt to become injured; and "era l dimensions of the crate as found nec- 60 rendered unmarketable during transporter: EHY- desirable: The o}? portion of tion." J I the ends 5 of the crate are formed with The main object ofthe present invention central extensions 10 which are of less i t vid at f uch Structure as to length than the length of the ends and ter remove all possibility of crushing orda'mag minate in vertically straight shoulders 11.

0 ing the contents of the crate when a number 7 The extensions directly under the shoulders of thelat-ter are stacked or arranged in tiers. are undercut as at 12,"and the bases of these A'further object of the invention is-to'proundercut portions are in' the form of horivide a c'rate'having a top so constructed as ZOntal ledges 13, which extend fully outto permit ready removal and access to the wardly; to the end edges of the ends 5. I The 15 contents of the crate, and also having venti-' top of v the crate in the present instance lating openings but preventing the. upper Comprises the extensions 10, which have slats layer ot fruit or-vegetables which is exposcd llsecured thereon andspaced to form venthrough the ventilating openings or spaces tilati-ng openings 15, the outer edges of the between the crates from being injured outermost slats beingtlush with the shoul- 20 crushing contact wit'h; a superposed crate, ders 11'. Three of the slats 14 are shown and also during'removal of atop slat to gain in the present instance, but it will be underac'cess tot h'e contents of the crater l stood that this number may be varied. The Y A further. general object of. the-invention top 7 structure of the crate also includes is to provide a crate having a top whichis horizontally "disposed slats or strips 16,,

25, constructed for convenienceiin applyingthe which are applied to and secured on the 1 top slats and disposingthe latter in partialledges 13, the'inner ends 17 of. the said overlapped edge relation but at the same slats 16 being seated in the undercut portime forming ventilating openings betweentions or seats 12, the outer side edges of s the slats and also producing a guard struothese slats being flush with the outer SHE-7.35

30 tu-re at oppositesides of the longitudinal cenfaces of the'upper slats 6 of the sides of ter of the'top which will preclude all possithe crate. In accordance with the arrangebility of engagement with the fruit or vegement just described, it will be seen that the tables at the top of the crate by objects that outer edge portions of the top slats l l X' may be disposed on the crate top; tend over or overlap the inner edges 17 of 'l/Vith thei foregoing and other 'objects'and the slats 116 with an'opening 18 between the advantages in view, theinvention c'onsi sts in outer edges of the slats 14: and inn-er edges the construction and arrangement 01? thesevof'the slats or strips 16 engagin the uneral parts which willbe more fully hereinder-cut portions or seats 12, Furthermore,

after described and claimed. between the outer edges of the slats 14c and 40 In the drawing; the lower adjacent portions of the slats 16 Fi g. 1 is a perspective View of a crate emthe vertically straight shoulder formation bodying the'i'eatures of the invention. is preserved, and the openings 18 at opposite Fig. 2is an end GlBVtlt-lOIIOf the crate. side portions of the extension 10 between The impr ved crate comprises ends 5, the outer edges of the slats 14 and the inner 45 which are made up ofrelatively thick niaedges of the slats 16 will preclude any posterial and have side and bottom slats 6 and sibility of the fruit or vegetables in the 7 applied thereto in spaced relation to form' crate from being disposed for engagement ventilating openings 8. As is customary in or contact through the said openings 18, crate constructions of this type, runners or and as a consequence, when the crates are 50 sills 9 are applied to the bottom against stacked or arranged in tiers, the runners or the outermost slats 7of the said bottom sills 9 will rest on the upper surfaces of andfiush with the lowermost slats 6 of the the slats or strips 16 and the inner side sides of the crate. .1 The ends 5 may be made edges 19 of the said runners or sills up from. any suitable number of strips or will squarely contact or engage the shoulders 55 pieces of requisite width and which will 11, and no matter how much the said runbe determined in ac ordance with the gen- 11ers or si ls shift inwardly on the slats or strips 16 which provide supporting ledges there-tor, the inner side edges of the ruu 11ers or sills cannot engage the contents of: the crate at the topportion of the latter. Another ad antage of the undercut port-ions or seats 12 is that they facilitate application and securely hold the slats or strips 16 at the inner edges oi the latter and make it possible to reduce the number of fastening devices for securing" the slats or strips '16 on the ledges is). The inner edges 17 of the slats or strips 16 are also protmtted by the overlapped arrangement above specified or the extension of said edges 17 inwardly beyond the sidcedges oi the slats l l applied to the upper edge ot the extension 10.

As usual in crate structures of this type, the ends 5 have openings 20 for convenience in inserting the fingers of the hand when lit'ting the crates. or to provide means for candy gripping; the ends of the crates, and it will be understood that the other usual features oi crates of this general type will be adopted and any suitable means einjfiloyed t'or fastening the slats in place. The runners or sills 9 in crates of this type are usually of less width than the ledges on which they rest so that the stacked or tiered crates may be readily arranged one upon the other without the least obstruction.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A crate wherein the body and top members are fixed. and comprising opposite ends with vertical central extensions to receive top closing slats, the opposite terminals of said extensions adjacent to the sides of the crate being formed with vertically straight shoulders, and top side closing slats at a lower level than the slats engaging the upper edges of the extensions and partially inserted into the oppositeterminals of the extensions inwardly beyond the side outer edges oi? the top slats secured to said extensions, ventilating openings being :formed be tween the side slats and those secured to the top edges of the extensions, whereby contact with the contents of the crate at the top by means disposed on the crat top at opposite sides of the said extension is pre- 3. A crate comprising a body including ends having top vertical extensions ha ring opposite terminals at a distance inwardly from the sides of the crate, top slats secured to the upper edges of said extensions, and other slats secured to the top of the Crate below the upper edges of theextensions and having their inner edges projected inwardly beyond the outer side edges of the outern'iost slats on the upper edges of the extensions to prevent engagement with the contents o'tthc crate at the top by objects engaging opposite side portions of the said top at the terminals ot' the extensions.

4:. A crate comprising a body having ends with top central extensions formed with opposite vertically straight shoulders and undercut seats continuing into opposite outwardly projecting side ledges, slats fixed to the top edges of Said extensions, the side outer slats mounted on said ledges having their edges flush with the shoulders and wider slats secured on the lodges and having their inner edges extending into the seats and overlapped by the outer side edges of the outer slats on the extensions above to prevent engagement of the contents of the crate by objects disposed on the side portions of the crate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY G. GERAN. 

